


Speechless in Snow

by Magvel



Series: EphL'Ara in Askr [1]
Category: Fire Emblem Heroes, Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones
Genre: Christmas, Christmas Fluff, Crossover, F/M, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-27
Updated: 2020-12-27
Packaged: 2021-03-10 18:34:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,080
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28361745
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Magvel/pseuds/Magvel
Summary: Ephraim and L'Arachel enjoy the last day of the winter festival in Askr despite the problems that weigh heavily on their minds.
Relationships: Chrom/Maribelle (Fire Emblem), Cian | Quan/Ethlyn, Eliwood/Ninian (Fire Emblem), Ephraim/L'Arachel (Fire Emblem), Leon | Leo/Sakura
Series: EphL'Ara in Askr [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2077071
Kudos: 3





	Speechless in Snow

**Author's Note:**

> This was supposed to be posted on Christmas, whoops. Oh well. Happy holidays! This is my first fic on this site, and hopefully some people like it at least. It's much shorter than I usually do, but thanks to that I could actually find the motivation to type it. Huzzah?  
> Ephraim x L'Arachel is my favorite ship of all time ever, I love them both to death, and I want to do more in this series I'm starting. Essentially just short fics of their lives in Askr, because crossover stuff is always fun. Inevitably my other ships will be sprinkled in here and there, but even if I ship something you don't, I hope it won't bother you too much. The main focus will always be on Ephraim and L'Arachel! I hope you enjoy!

It was a snowy morning in the beautiful land of Askr, prompting many of the heroes gathered in the Order of Heroes to sleep in a bit more than usual. For some in the order, however, it was a good motivator to train—getting the body moving would help to fend off the cold. Though it wasn’t terribly cold—this was just as good an excuse as any. Especially for those who craved the thrill of battle.

“Ha!” The young king of Renais was one such hero, as many had learned in his extended time with the order. Though many likely didn’t understand the full extent of that truth—something King Ephraim kept only to himself and an incredibly small number of others.

“I’ll finish this!” Ephraim was something of a social recluse, a surprising trait for someone who was such a talented leader. Though it was one of his many weaknesses, and as such he wasn’t one with many friends. Though the man he sparred with now—Prince Chrom of Ylisse—was one in that small list who were more than just acquaintances. Though Chrom didn’t share the deep-seeded desire for battle that Ephraim had, he was one who constantly wanted to better himself—and testing himself against his friend was one way of doing just that.

There would usually be a small group gathered to watch the two well-known lords spar, but given the temperature of this particular morning, there were only two—one young green-haired princess with a satisfied smile on her face, and one much less-amused looking blonde lady.

The sounds of battle would pause as Chrom’s eyes glanced over to the two, and his expression turned to one of reasonable worry. “Ah… Ephraim, I think we need to call this here.”

“Hmm?” Ephraim’s attention followed Chrom’s gaze, and upon seeing Maribelle’s expression, he understood. “Right…” Returning back to a regular standing position, he twirled his spear idly for a moment as they made their way to the two young women. …Yes, that was a thing he did.

“Chrom…” Maribelle’s voice didn’t sound terribly pleased. “How long do the two of you intend to carry on like this? It isn’t getting any warmer for the two of us!”

“I forgot how lovely you look when you’re angry.”

“Flattery will get you nowhere!” His words did earn a smirk from the young woman, though. It wasn’t as though she were genuinely angry, of course. It would take much more than that for the man she loved to earn her ire. Still, on a day like this, she would much rather spend it with him than… watching him fight. Raising her staff, she healed Chrom of the minor cuts and bruises he earned during his training session.

And L’Arachel did the same for the teal-haired king. “I don’t think I’ll ever tire of watching you in action, Ephraim,” she said, her tone one that conveyed clear romantic admiration. It was amusing to see how much differently these troubadours received their lordly lovers upon finishing their training session. “Every day I watch you improve, and seeing you devote yourself so much to something you love is so very thrilling for me.” Her gentle, loving tone was one that only Ephraim was lucky enough to receive from the enthusiastic princess.

“L’Arachel…” and similarly, the way his expression softened, and his body language changed to one of comfort, was something only L’Arachel and to an extent Eirika were able to see. “It’s thanks to you. I wouldn’t make half the progress I do if I didn’t have you here to spur me on to greater heights.”

“Naturally!” L’Arachel’s confident smile returned as she placed her hands on her hips. “I am, as ever, a constant source of inspiration for my allies, and it must be doubly so for my love! Triple, even!” L’Arachel’s candor was something that often put people off—Eirika included—but as had been obvious since long before they were engaged, Ephraim found her personality to be unendingly charming. For someone whose confidence came only in the battlefield, to have someone who was so certain of herself in all areas was something that he felt he needed. Someone at his side who could make up for his shortcomings and drive him to be better every single day. To Ephraim, at least, she completed him. He only wished he were better at expressing his feelings to her in a meaningful way. He was… not good with this sort of thing.

“I appreciate your diligence as ever, Chrom,” Maribelle said to her husband. “However, it’s very rarely that the two of us both have a day off. Even more rare when that time isn’t spent on our darling children. I was hoping we could spend some time together for a change…” Lucina and Brady had gone shopping early among a group of other friends and comrades from different worlds—a strange concept that was the norm in Askr. Maribelle could scarcely remember quality time spent between the two of them since the brief time between the war against Plegia and the war against Valm. There was always something or another to do…

“You have a point…” Chrom agreed. They had even spoken about trying to find more time together recently. “Sorry, I shouldn’t have-“

“Oh, please. You hardly need to apologize.” Maribelle interjected with a warm smile. “If you want to make it up to me, let’s be off!”

“Heh.” Chrom returned her smile. He loved how pushy she was when she decided what was being done. He certainly had no complaints. “Well, Ephraim, L’Arachel, we’ll see you both later.”

Ephraim nodded in response, and L’Arachel grinned. “Enjoy yourselves!” She called out, though it was hard to discern if she intended for her words to carry the undertone they had. With Ephraim and Chrom becoming friends, it didn’t take long for L’Arachel and Maribelle to do the same—they were rather like-minded in a few ways and had similar bearings. As a result, these four tended to be quite the close group, and were often together during celebrations and the like. They also ended up teamed together during missions often given their synergy.

“We should follow their example,” Ephraim suggested. “Lately, there hasn’t been much time to relax. We may not get another good opportunity for a while.” Today was the final day of the winter festival, and as such most of the Heroes had more time off than usual.

“A splendid idea, darling,” L’Arachel said with a smile. “I would have expected you to want to spend time with Eirika, though. Though it’s unspeakably cruel to spend the day away from me, I suppose I could forgive you for this one time. Especially if it’s for my sister!” Her sister, how bizarre and wonderful it was to refer to her dear friend Eirika as such. Though she and Ephraim were only engaged, she considered it official enough. They couldn’t exactly have their marriage ceremony here in Askr… probably.

“How kind of you,” Ephraim responded with amusement, playing along. “But your selfless sacrifice shouldn’t be necessary. Eirika already has plans for today.” Unlike Ephraim, his twin sister was very socially apt—she was likeable to almost all and very personable. It was easy for her to make friends, and so she often had multiple people vying for her attention and time. Ephraim may shine much more on the battlefield, but when it came to matters off the battlefield, he was no match for his sister. Not that it particularly bothered him, though these qualities were those of a fine ruler. They were qualities he would have to work on before he was ready to become the king he was destined to be.

At least, it would be nice to think it was destiny. But if Ephraim were to be the king he wanted to be—an ideal ruler, who was strong and kind in equal measure—he knew it would take a lot of time and dedication. He wasn’t the sort who believed in destiny or fate, anyway. He considered his time here in Askr to be invaluable, a chance to meet rulers of all different temperaments and ideologies from across so many worlds.

This was all rather tangential to the current situation, however. And Ephraim didn’t realize how lost he became in his own head until he noticed the delicate, white-gloved hand of his fiancée waving in front of his face. “Goodness, Ephraim, you seem distracted.”

“Ah… sorry. It’s nothing.”

“…” It wasn’t nothing, and L’Arachel knew it well. Ephraim tended to get lost in his own head when it came to his future as king. She knew this was a role he wasn’t naturally inclined towards, and she knew how heavy the burden was upon his shoulders. Only she knew the full extent of his feelings in this matter—the overwhelming guilt he felt for leaving his people when they needed him most. It was something he didn’t even share with Eirika.

L’Arachel leaned in, placing a gentle kiss on Ephraim’s nose. The young king responded with several blinks. “What-? L’Arachel…?”

“You’re far too easy, darling. You’re wide open when you space out!” L’Arachel’s grin was a sight Ephraim had grown used to—not that it was terribly difficult, considering how cute it was. When she saw how often he became lost in these heavy thoughts of his, she had decided it was up to her to lift his spirits whenever he needed it—a perfect role for the beautiful princess of peerless beauty! If she couldn’t make her own fiancé feel better, she would make a rather poor ruler herself. “Here I thought you didn’t pick fights you couldn’t win, but I have the lead, darling!”

Ephraim paused for a moment after she finished speaking, only to respond with a slight chuckle. “Oh, so that’s how it’s going to be.” With two people like Ephraim and L’Arahcel, even their romance tended to be a constant playful competition. And given how horribly inexperienced both were in terms of romance, it was likely competition that would make most cringe.

“Naturally!”

“You may have the lead now, but don’t expect to keep it by the end of the day.”

“Ooh, a challenge.” The Valkyrie’s grin widened. “You’ll need to make me speechless by the end of the day to win! It will be my pleasure to shatter that pride of yours, darling!” She took him by the hand, winking before leading him along. It seemed she had successfully brought him up from his heavy thoughts. Now she felt it might be fun to peak in on some of the other heroes enjoying the last day of the festival…

The summoner had taken the liberty of setting up several stalls and games in the Aether Resort for the heroes gathered to enjoy. It really did help to give it more of a festival vibe, and the Resort had a snowy ground that mirrored that of Askr’s. Several heroes chose to spend the last day of the winter festival here, which was apparent to see as Ephraim and L’Arachel came to the rather busy resort.

“You’re not too cold, are you, mother? I can get you a coat!”

“Oh, Roy… I’m an ice dragon, so please don’t worry about me.”

“It gladdens me to see what a considerate young man you’ve become, Roy… oh! Ephraim, L’Arachel, good day!” Eliwood, Ninian, and Roy all greeted the young couple warmly.

“What a lovely family the three of you make!” L’Arachel remarked gladly, as though she somehow didn’t already know about these three, who had been here much longer than she had.

“It’s plain to see where Roy’s kindness comes from. The three of you do make a perfect family.” Ephraim remarked politely. His slightly stiff words sounded pleasant enough to those who didn’t know him well—L’Arachel could tell he was a bit uncomfortable, however. It was exactly these sorts of social situations that he was poor at.

“Ha! It’s kind of you to say so. Any excellence is certainly a trait he got from his mother, though.”

“Oh, no… it must be a result of Lord Eliwood.” The obvious love that this couple shared was so sweet it could ruin someone’s teeth, and this was a fact one could see just from the way they looked at each other.

“I wouldn’t be half the person I am today without both of you.” Roy said happily. Growing up without knowing his mother, any moment he could spend with his parents here in Askr was one he cherished so much. “We’re heading to try one of those games. You two can come too if you’d like.”

“The offer is appreciated,” Ephraim was the one to respond. “But we have plans ourselves. Enjoy your time together.” Even beyond just his awkwardness, he would hate to impede on their family time together. After the point raised by Maribelle, it was hard to imagine how strict it must be for three people to spend time together.

After the three nodded and said their goodbyes, L’Arachel motioned for the two of them to continue. “Do you think we’ll have such a lovely family ourselves one day?” She remarked idly.

“I didn’t realize you were planning to have children with me, L’Arachel.”

“Well, of course! That’s- w-wha…” And as per usual, L’Arachel had brought something up without thinking of what was being implied. “…!” Her face quickly flushed. “D-do not even-!”

“You know, you would have to see my naked shoulder again…”

“S-stop! Do not even joke about that! It’s not funny, Ephraim! You aren’t-!” She let out a rather panicked squeal as she felt something against her cheek, and it took her flustered brain several moments longer than it should have to realize that was Ephraim’s lips.

“It looks like that’s a point for me.” The grin on her fiancé’s face reflected her own from shortly ago.

“…” She released his hand, crossing her arms with a faux-annoyed “hmph!” noise. “Th-that was low, Ephraim. You shouldn’t play with a maiden’s heart in such a way.”

“You’re the one who brought it up.”

“W-well!” Well, he was right about that. “It’s still your fault! Take some responsibility!”

“Right…” Take responsibility for making his fiancée blush. The abject horror of the concept. “I’ll have to make it up to you, then.”

“Correct!”

L’Arachel’s idiosyncrasies might exasperate many, but Ephraim found it so very charming. It would never get old for him. “Then I suppose you should look forward to it. I’ll do my best.”

“I expect nothing less!” L’Arachel’s expression as she whirled around to face him with her words was once again that confident smile he was so used to. “I deserve nothing less than the best, after all!” She uncrossed her arms, taking her now smiling fiancé’s hand in her own once more. L’Arachel seemed to find the idea of people watching to be fun, and so they would continue.

“U-um!” Sitting outside one of the food stalls was the nervous Hoshidan princess, Sakura, and the composed Nohrian prince, Leo. “Open w-wide, Leo…!” Sakura said, her voice nervous and excited, as she seemed to want to feed her lover.

“Er…” Leo’s face reddened a bit. “Don’t you find that to be a bit… embarrassing, Sakura?” They WERE rather in the middle of public, even though most people were doing their own things.

“I-is it?” Sakura’s expression turned from excited to crestfallen and embarrassed in no time flat, and she lowered her utensil of skewered food sadly.

“…Ugh…” Leo let out to himself. Gods, what was he supposed to do seeing her act that way?! “…Ah…” He finally opened his mouth, pushing through the embarrassment for her sake.

“…!” Sakura raised the food once again, though as she began to move it towards him, her hand began to tremble. …And then she lowered it quickly. “I c-can’t anymore, I’m too embarrassed…”

This whole experience left the couple rather adorably embarrassed, but L’Arachel couldn’t help but giggle to herself. It was so cute. …If a bit rude of her to be eavesdropping. But something like that clearly didn’t register to her at all. “Maybe I should feed you here, too~” she said, nudging Ephraim playfully.

“Please don’t.” As if his social awkwardness wasn’t bad enough, doing something so intimate with so many people around would be mortifying. Though responses like that only increased L’Arachel’s desire to tease him. He was lucky today, though, as she refrained, and they continued on.

“Did you see that?!”

“Impressive, Leif! You knocked them all over!” Quan congratulated his young son, who had thrown a ball just perfectly to knock over a stack of bottles. It was one of the game stalls set up.

“Mother, pick whichever you like!” Leif insisted, referring to one of the stuffed animals offered for prizes.

“Oh, Leif, that’s sweet of you. But I think you should pick one out for Lady Nanna, don’t you? I’m certain a gift from you would mean the world to her.” Ethlyn responded to her excited son. For young Prince Leif of Leonster, this feeling of excitement and happiness was something that he had so very rarely experienced in his young life. To spend this precious time with the parents whom he had never known, though, it was impossible to contain those feelings. To feel like a child in the company of his loving parents was sadly a very new experience for him.

“A-are you sure? I would love to get something for her, but…”

“Don’t worry about your mother,” Quan said reassuringly. “Watch this!” Taking one of the balls offered, and with surprising skill, Quan hurled the ball directly to one of the other stacks of bottles and knocked them all over with ruthless efficiency. “Too easy!”

“Oh, well done!” Ethlyn sounded impressed, and even gave a few claps for her dear husband’s performance.

“You did it, father! Of course you did, I wouldn’t have doubted it for a moment!”

“Heh, your praise is too much. But now your mother gets one, and you can select one for young Lady Nanna. It’s perfect.”

“Would you just pick a damn toy already?” Apparently the summoner had a much better sense of humor than people realized, because the hero selected to run this particular stand was Felix Hugo Fraldarius.

“Oh, sorry…” Leif chuckled. “I’m just so happy to be with the two of you now. It was difficult… I mean, before. I never thought I’d meet my parents. This world really is some kind of miracle.”

“That it is, Leif. For as long as we stay here in Askr, your mother and I will be with you. And it’s an honor to get to know both you and Altena.”

“I feel the same way!”

The conversation in front of an irritated Felix was a rather heartwarming one, which made Ephraim feel a bit guilty to be listening to. It was clear though that they had no problem with anyone overhearing. This bizarre world had performed a number of similar miracles, including allowing Ephraim and Eirika to reunite with Lyon. …A topic that was still somewhat troubling, but that was a story for another day. Still, when he felt L’Arachel’s grip on his hand tighten slightly, Ephraim turned his attention to the green-haired Valkyrie. L’Arachel’s expression wasn’t as bright as it had been, and though to a passerby she may look fine, Ephraim could see through her, just as she could for him. She likely didn’t even realize her grip had tightened as she watched the heartwarming moment between a man and the parents who had died before he had met them. “Let’s head back.” Ephraim said gently, which snapped L’Arachel out of her head, and caused her to look at him.

“Oh… Ephraim…”

“Come on.” He insisted with the same gentle voice, leading her back towards the exit of the resort. He could tell L’Arachel wanted to assure him everything was fine, and continue here, but he met with little resistance as she fell into step behind him. She had come here hoping to keep his mind off the heavy topics that plagued him, and yet she got lost in her own. That fact made her feel somewhat terrible.

Ephraim knew what bothered her, of course—her parents. It was no exaggeration to say that the legacy her parents left behind made L’Arachel what she was today. Her desire to live up to the memory they left behind was what drove her to want to become a legend, to better herself every day and work to help people like she did. She had to become nothing less than a legend, otherwise she would believe that she failed their memory.

It was ironic, really. Ephraim and L’Arachel were both similarly so driven to better themselves to reach goals they believed to be impossible. Ephraim wanted to atone for leaving his people when they needed him most, and L’Arachel wanted to live up to the legacy of her parents. They both thought nothing they did could ever be enough, and so they did all that they could. They were very like-minded individuals, and perhaps that’s why they worked so well together.

Nevertheless, it was difficult for Ephraim to see her like this. He always helped as best he could, but he couldn’t provide her with a permanent solution. He was happy to see people like Leif and Roy reunite with the loved ones they had lost and never known, but he found it so very unfair that L’Arachel might never experience the same thing.

But it was this that emboldened him and strengthened his belief in what he was going to do.

L’Arachel let out a sigh as she sat down on the bed in Ephraim’s quarters. “I’m sorry…” She said, her genuine tone something only Ephraim was generally treated to. “I wanted to help you, and yet I…” She let out another sigh. She wouldn’t stay down long, of course. This was L’Arachel. Nothing could keep her down. Yet still, when she felt like she had failed Ephraim as his fiancée, that was a much different feeling than the typical letdown. She wanted to make him happy above all else.

“You have nothing to apologize for, L’Arachel.” Ephraim said seriously as he took a seat beside her. “I love you. You know that, don’t you? It’s difficult for me to say, and even more difficult for me to express, but it’s the truth. You feel the way you do for a reason, and I share in that feeling. I wish that I could wipe away your tears and dispel your suffering forever, but unfortunately, I can’t. I’m far from perfect. But even if I can’t remove your suffering, I want you to lean on me. Even if you can’t talk to anyone else, you will always have me.”

“Hmm…” L’Arachel smiled somberly, leaning her head against his shoulder. It was so warm. He was, and his words. The light that had guided her life for so long had been that of her parents, driving her to better herself every day. And yet, ever since their engagement, that light shone only second to that of the light that she had found in her heart for Ephraim. She never would’ve imagined this back during the war, when he was ripping off his clothes in a vulgar lust for her. …Which was definitely how actually it happened. “For someone who isn’t very good with words, you know just the right thing to say.”

“Heh, well…” Ephraim leaned his head against hers. “That’s because it’s you, L’Arachel. Only you.” Their hands naturally magnetized to each other, and their fingers interlocked as they sat there together in comfortable silence for several moments.

All their teasing, all their competitions, everything about their relationship was something both cherished. But it was moments like these—the moments where everything else seemed wrong—these were the moments that fulfilled them. The feeling that no matter what went wrong, they would always have this one, consistent right to come back to.

And that was such a beautiful thing. It was, perhaps, the only thing.

“I have something for you.” Ephraim finally broke the comfortable silence, causing L’Arachel to blink in confusion. “I know we said we wouldn’t get gifts, but you can say I just couldn’t help myself if you’d like.”

“Mm,” L’Arachel smiled softly. “I was right to expect nothing less… but, Ephraim, it isn’t necessary.” If not for the situation, she’d likely be doing her proud shouting and posturing about how she deserves such treatment, but the genuine mood made it difficult to slip back to her usual self.

“I know.” Ephraim said certainly, standing from their comfortable position together and moving to a medium-sized portrait canvas that had been covered. Uncovering the canvas, he took a deep breath, lifting it up and turning to show it to L’Arachel.

“…” L’Arachel blinked several times as she looked into the familiar faces. …Familiar? No… she had never seen this couple. And yet… she couldn’t help but feel like… she had seen them? Or maybe they resembled… “Wh-who…” The beautiful painting depicted a man and a woman. The man had medium-length familiar green hair as well as a well-kept green goatee, and blue eyes. The woman had long flowing blonde hair, and familiar green eyes. Staring at the realistic painting brought tears to her eyes.

“These are… Lambent and Isabel.” The names caused L’Arachel’s heart to skip a beat. “…The former Divine Emperor and Empress of Rausten.”

“…” The tears gathering in her eyes began to stream down her cheeks. She stood, gently taking the painting from his hands to inspect it closer “But… how?”

“It wasn’t easy…” Ephraim responded. “I spoke with Dozla, who still remembered both fairly well. Additionally, the last time I had the chance to speak with Mansel, I’m decently certain I was horrifically annoying asking every detail I could of their appearance. After that, I compared what both had told me and intended to ask Forde about painting a portrait of them. Then I was brought here, to this world. It ended up being a boon in disguise, though. There are so many talented artists in the Order of Heroes, and I commissioned many to help directly or offer their insight. I… I wanted to do them justice. The people who brought you to me.” He owed them more than he could repay. L’Arachel… he couldn’t imagine living life without her. And it was thanks to them that she lived and was the way she was. The woman he loved. “I wasn’t sure if this would be a good idea or a terrible one, but I couldn’t just let it gather dust forever, so… I’m sorry if… I didn’t intend to-“

“It’s perfect!” L’Arachel cried joyously through her tears. Her voice was full of emotion—the emotion that had, only moments before, been bringing her sorrow now filled her heart full of joy and love. “I-I… I never saw their faces. I’m… that… that was something that always hurt me. I didn’t- I mean, I wouldn’t… I had never cried before, when I thought about them. I was proud of them. I was proud to be their daughter. I still am! But now, I can’t help but…” Cry. Finally. She had held it in for so long, and yet, the tears that were finally allowed to flow were joyful ones. It was… so wonderful.

“…Let yourself cry, L’Arachel.” Ephraim said gently, reassuringly, the same words he had given Myrrh after her father’s death. “I’m here for you. I always will be.”

“Oh, Ephraim…” She held the painting close to her—gently, as to not damage something so important, and she felt Ephraim’s arms gently envelop her. This feeling, this warmth… she could stay like this forever.

Several minutes passed since that gentle embrace, and the two now sat on the bed once again, L’Arachel holding and studying the painting. Studying the faces she had never been able to see. These couldn’t be exact recreations, of course, but that was part of the beauty of it. “I… I don’t even know what to say, Ephraim. I…”

“I suppose that means I win then, doesn’t it?” Ephraim remarked playfully.

“Ahaha…” The smile Ephraim received in response was one so genuine, and so full of love. “I guess you do! You left me speechless…” She leaned in, kissing him on the cheek. “You don’t pick fights you can’t win after all.” She whispered, standing, and taking a few steps away. She placed the portrait down gently, facing away from herself and Ephraim. “Your streak can’t last forever, though…” She said, turning to face him. “I am L’Arachel, you know. The beautiful princess of peerless beauty! I can’t take a loss sitting down. Oh, no… you’ll taste defeat soon enough.”

“Hmm, is that so?” Ephraim grinned in response as the mood quickly became a loving playful.

“It is so indeed, my love.” She said, continuing to close the distance between them. “You gave me such a wonderful gift today, I cannot thank you with words. And s-so…” She placed her hands on his shoulders, and the reason for her sudden nervousness dawned on Ephraim. And the grin on his features was soon replaced by a shocked, nervous expression of his own.

“L-L’Arachel, you…” He swallowed hard, suddenly feeling his heart racing in his chest. “This can’t be easy for you. I’m willing to wait for as long as-?!” He let out a sudden grunt as he was shoved down onto the bed, and a moment later, he felt slender legs straddling his waist. “I-I… L’Arachel, y-you don’t have to-“

Ephraim was silenced with a finger that came to gently rest against his lips. “I… I want this, Ephraim.” She leaned down, pressing her body against his. The surge of excitement through Ephraim’s body emboldened her further, as she leaned in, placing a soft, gentle kiss upon the king’s lips. “I love you, Ephraim. I love you so much.”

“I… I love-“ Ephraim let out a grunt as he felt his wrists pinned down above his head.

“I know.” She smiled down at him, a smile so full of love and affection—a smile that Ephraim would remember for the rest of his life.

And so the loving young couple spent the last day of the winter festival in each other’s warm embrace…

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! As I said, this is the first thing I've posted on this site, so I apologize if the formatting was off or anything. I'm still learning! As is typical when I type fics, I was incredibly tired when typing most of it, so that's my excuse if it sucked too bad lol. Also, yes, I gave names to L'Arachel's parents. Maybe I'll give Ephraim's mother a name too eventually.  
> I've been very starved of Ephraim x L'Arachel content for a very long time, and just like Thanos, I decided I'll do it myself. I suck at art though sadly, so fics are my best chance to try to get other people to enjoy this ship too. Another thing I want to do with this series, if I can hopefully continue it, is to explore more of these two characters. Ephraim and L'Arachel are both more deep than a lot of people realize, and I hope I can shed some light on that with these fics to some extent. A lot of people see L'Arachel as a sideshow attraction of a character when she's so much more, and don't realize how much there is to Ephraim, so hopefully I can help people to see them in a better light. Either way, I hope you enjoyed!


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